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RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Streets across Brazil have been swamped with Carnival revelers, with the largest parties attracting more than 1 million merrymakers.

In Rio de Janeiro, one of the most traditional "bloco" street parties hit fever pitch before noon, with the city's tourism officials saying more than 1 million people gathered in central Rio for the bash.

At the "Heaven on Earth" party in Rio's bohemian Santa Teresa neighborhood, thousands gathered at dawn. One of the party's themes this year is a protest against the billions being spent to host the World Cup football tournament. The crowd occasionally chanted "There will be no Cup! There will be no Cup!"

Carnival runs until Ash Wednesday, though bashes continue to pop up for a few weeks after.